Canon G7X Review

Sometime last year I decided I was fed up of lugging my clunky DSLR – the Nikon D3100 in case you were wondering – around with me anywhere and everywhere. Sure, if it’s a special occasion or a particularly photogenic location I’ll take it, but I will most definitely complain about how heavy it is and how desperate I am not to drop it. It is nothing short of a miracle that I haven’t dropped it in the five or so years I’ve owned it… Anyway, I figured it was about time I invested in an “on the go” camera for my little day trips, holidays and random events and so at the start of January I invested in the Canon G7X.

Like any big purchase I spent the weeks beforehand reading endless reviews of a few main contenders, notably the Olympus Pen E-PL7 and the Sony A5100, before I eventually settled on the G7X. The cameras are all relatively similar in terms of their capabilities and features, however as I’m intending on keeping my DSLR for the foreseeable future I wasn’t keen on buying in to a new lens based system. Hence the decision to pick up the G7X!

Despite being a whole lot smaller than my DSLR the G7X still packs a punch in terms of power. This portable little number boasts the ability to shoot in automatic, aperture priority, shutter speed priority or fully manual modes which is ideal for someone like me. I love having a high level of control over my photos, but sometimes I just want a quick point and shoot when I’m on the go!

As much as I hate using the flash, it can be useful to have in certain situations, which is another reason I chose the G7X over some of it’s competitors. The flash is compact and neatly hidden away under a flap at the top of the body, so you wouldn’t even know it was there if it wasn’t being used. Although it’s really not an essential feature for me, it did sway me towards the camera a bit more.

One of my favourite things about this camera – which I didn’t even realise I would be able to do before purchasing it – is that I can change the aspect ratio with the touch of a button. I’ve set it up so that my “ring function” button controls my aspect ratio, meaning I can easily switch between my typical photo set up and square shots for that Instagram ready shot in a matter of seconds. Happy days!

On the topic of Instagram, this camera also benefits from WiFi connectivity. It’s a pretty common feature in the majority of cameras nowadays, but again it pretty much sold it to me. If I want to quickly upload a photo on to Facebook or send it someone in an email I can whizz it across to my phone using the camera’s built in WiFi with just a couple of clicks. This is especially handy for posting pictures of cats on Instagram. Total game changer. Hashtag priorities.

Another handy little feature I love about the G7X is its flip up screen – perfect for selfie time. This came in to it’s own when I was away in Berlin as we didn’t always have someone else around to take a photo of me & Paddy together, so instead we were able to make sure we were getting the perfect shot and not having to guess blindly if we were actually in the frame.

The G7X is apparently the camera of choice for a very large number of YouTubers, and I can see why. The video quality on this nifty little thing is incredible, it’s left me seriously impressed. If you’re interested in seeing an example of the video quality then my Berlin vlog was filmed entirely on this camera and I think it shows off the capabilities pretty well. Whilst I don’t vlog all that often, it is a nice added bonus and might encourage me to film my days out a bit more!

Whilst this was a bit of a pricey purchase and my tendency to have serious buyer’s remorse, I’m so glad I decided to invest in the G7X. It was everything I needed in a camera and it just works for me! Depending on what you’re looking for in a camera it might not be the ideal solution for you, but it fulfilled all of my desired features so was really the perfect option for me. If you want to see some better examples of the photos taken on the G7X then take a peek at my Berlin photo diary, all of the photos were taken on the G7X and I think there’s a decent variety to show it off.

Colours and Carousels is a lifestyle, fashion & beauty blog brought to you by Charlotte – a sarcastic wee Scottish lass hailing from the outskirts of Glasgow with a love for food, felines & Hugh Laurie.